A hard disk drive (HDD) has very small working gaps in which particulate contamination can affect reliability and possibly lead to complete failure of the HDD. For example, the slider and the suspension of a head stack assembly are positioned very close (e.g., tens of nanometers) to the surface of a spinning disk during read and write processes. Loose particles within the HDD may become entrapped between the slider or suspension and the surface of the disk, leading to permanent damage from abrasive wear as the disk is rotated. Thus, during the assembly process of an HDD, it is beneficial to minimize the amount of contaminant particles that the HDD is exposed to. In particular, it is desirable to provide HDD assembly tools that enhance the cleanliness level during the HDD assembly process.